Jenson Brooksby reveals "superpower" in defeating Tsitsipas for first Top 10 win at Indian Wells

MATCH POINT: Brooksby closes out No. 5 seed

You learn a lot from witnessing tennis players in the wake of defeat. There’s the physical, the loser simply being pummeled, as often happens to those beaten by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. There’s the chance to be at the mercy of rare skill, as has been the case for Roger Federer’s carefully curated victims. There’s the witnessed loss, hardly being allowed to even play amid the firepower of a John Isner or Reilly Opelka. And then there’s the lost opportunity. In each of these cases, the how and why is strikingly clear.

Then there’s the miasma that enveloped Stefanos Tsitsipas during and even after his 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss at the hands of Jenson Brooksby in their third-round match Monday evening at the BNP Paribas Open. Asked afterwards what makes Brooksby a difficult opponent, the normally forthcoming and loquacious Tsitsipas stared into space for several seconds and then offered eight words you’d expect to hear only at a 12-and-under tournament: “Putting balls back. That’s what makes him difficult.”

In theory, the fifth-seeded Tsitsipas was a strong favorite versus the 43rd-ranked Brooksby. But far more than the rankings revealed, the possibilities of the first meeting between these two offered significant intrigue.

“Brooksby’s fascinating,” longstanding coach Craig Kardon said when we spoke this afternoon. “People are trying to figure out what he really does well and how to beat him.” Rarely if ever does Brooksby try for more than he should, a shrewd command of height and space that strategist Craig O’Shannessy compares to such superb competitors as Lleyton Hewitt and Michael Chang. Added to that is a brand of competitive tenacity similar to the grit that eventually earned Hewitt and Chang spots in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “He loves to put balls in play,” O’Shannessy told me earlier today. “He’s got a supreme tolerance for taking forehands and backhands crosscourt and down the line.”

Early on, though, Tsitsipas was the one with little tolerance, his physicality repeatedly compelling a tight Brooksby into one error after another. “I thought I had a tough start out there,” said Brooksby. “He played strong. I wasn't focusing and executing as well as I needed to.” Swift court coverage and lacerating forehands helped Tsitsipas snap up the first set easily.

Having only seen Brooksby play on TV prior to this evening, it was hard for me to truly take in his energy. But to watch Brooksby from inside Stadium 1 vividly revealed his incredible poise.  Winning 12 of the first 14 points of the second set, Brooksby took control of one rally after another with deep backhands, the occasional crisp forehand, fantastic court coverage and a seemingly preternatural brand of competitive firepower and serenity. The mix of it all gave absolutely nothing to Tsitsipas—no poor shot choices, no emotional tumult, nothing but a relentless twist of one ball after another, ladled into corners that repeatedly stymied Tsitsipas.

According to O’Shannessy, Tsitsipas’ best tactical play was to minimize crosscourt backhand-to-backhand exchanges, a pattern that would heavily tilt Brooksby’s way, and instead find ways to dictate rallies with his forehand. But as the second set wore on, the increasingly impatient and frustrated Tsitsipas seemed to fall under a spell. Tsitsipas wasn’t just losing points. His strokes were being eroded, akin to the old joke about the two ways a man goes bankrupt: gradually, then suddenly.

Matters weren’t helped when, with Brooksby serving at 5-3 in the second set, Tsitsipas broke a shoelace—not for the first time in his career—and was forced to put on a new pair of shoes. “It's very difficult sometimes having played with one shoes you've been playing with for the last eight days, then having a new pair that's harder and stiffer,” said Tsitsipas. “It's a big adjustment for the feet.”

Across the net, Brooksby—known in some cases to overtly pump himself up—was all business. There were backhands and forehands driven crosscourt and down-the-line, the occasional slice forehand, drop shots and a few forays to the net, the latter an area one expects Brooksby to improve on in the years to come. Though Brooksby’s serve is also likely to become better in due time too, never was Tsitsipas able to return it with particular force.

Once the match was levelled, Tsitsipas’ erosion only advanced. Twice he let balls go by that were clearly in. Easy shots were netted. His body language was negative, if not exactly pouty, then far from positive. At one point, Tsitsipas served and fell to the court.

Assuredly going up 4-0 in the third, Brooksby soon served for it at 5-2. Point one: a 114 body serve, Tsitsipas netting the return. At 15-love, a weary Tsitsipas made a poor decision with a misfired drop shot. At 30-love, another missed forehand return. After missing a backhand volley on his first match point, Brooksby smoothly commanded a brief rally, compelling Tsitsipas to float a tepid backhand slice into the net. “I think my superpower would be exploiting weaknesses in other people,” said Brooksby. His variety and consistency added up to a delicate but eventually overwhelming swarm—one so subtle that once over, Tsitsipas remained in a fog.

“He's not a very explosive player,” said Tsitsipas, “but he's able to get balls back. He's not the most athletic player, as well. He's just able to read the game well, play with his pace, play with the opponent's pace. He's able to read the game well and stay consistent. There's nothing that he has that kills, I would say.”

Only his head.